Grate for kitchen ranges



April 9 E. H. WILLIAMS ETAL 2,440,035

GRATE FOR KITCHEN RANGES Filed July 31, 1945 INVENTORS E.H.WILLIAM$ BYF.F.TUNKE ATTORNEY Pa tented Apr. 20, 1948 GRATE FOR KITCHEN RANGESEdward H. Williams,

Ridgewood, N. Y.,

Bayside, and Paul assisnors to The Welbilt F. Tunke,

Stove Company, Incorporated, Maspeth, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication July 31, 1945, Serial No. 607,970

3 Claims.

l The present invention relates primarily to grates of the type that akitchen range wherein the heat is supplied Grates of this type, normallylocated on the top cooking surface of the stove or range, are employedto support the cooking utensils over the flame.

Heretofore grates of this type have usually been made by casting themfrom some suitable material such as cast iron. Cast iron grates,however, have the disadvantage of requiring considerable mass and weightof material in order to give suflicient strength, and-also, such gratesare easily broken.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide agrate made of sheet metal that may be used in conjunction with an openflame kitchen range.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a sheet metal gratewhich may be made by a stamping operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal gratewhich will not warp or become distorted when subjected to heat. To

this end the sheet metal grate is so constructed that the stresses setup therein when in use, as when a utensil is placed thereon, are notsuch as to cause bending of the grate. In other words, the componentparts of the grate of the present invention are so arranged that theytend to reinforce one another to prevent undue bending or flexing of thegrate while at the same time being so arranged that the grate ean'beproduced by a simple stamping operation.

A more comprehensive understanding of the objects and advantages of thepresent invention will be apparent from the following descriptionthereof wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a grate constructed in accordance with thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1through the center of the grate;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1 through one of theradial arms of the grate;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring first to Fig. 1, which shows in elevation the preferred formof a grate constructed in accordance with the present invention, it willbe noted that the grate comprises a circular center section, referred togenerally hereinafter by reference numeral I I, and a plurality ofradially extending arms indicated generally by reference numeral l2. Thearms I2 extend outwardly from the center section I I. In the embodimentof the invention shown there are six arms I! and it will be obvious thata grate could be constructed in accordance with the present inventionemploying fewer or more arms l2.

The center section II, which is substantially circular, has an innerflange I 3 which, as shown in Fig. 2, extends downwardly or toward theheating flame when the grate is employed in the ordinary type of openflame kitchen range. The flange I3 increasesthe rigidity of the grateand in co-operation with other parts thereof hereinafter pointed out,assists in imparting to the grate the desired rigidity and preventsundue flexing or bending thereof when a weight, such as a heavy cookingutensil, is placed thereon. As will be apparent, the rigidity of thegrate is maintained even though the parts thereof are heated to a highdegree when the grate is in use. The arms l2, as shown most clearly inthe sectional view, Fig. 3, are throughout the greater part of theirlength in the form of an inverted U-shaped channel with the open sidethereof presented to the flame over which the grate may be placed. Theside sections, such as M, of the arms 12, as they approach the centersection' II, bend outwardly therefrom as at 1, 2 and 5, and merge l6,Figs. into an outer flange I! of, the center section II. The outerflange l'l extends downwardly in the same direction as the inner flangeI3 of the center section II. The sections of the outer flange I 1between adjacent arms I! are substantially concentric with the innerflange I3.

The top surfaces of the inner ends of the arms l2 are raised above theflat disc surface of the c i rcular center section II, as shown moreclearly in Figs. 2 and 4, and the top inner surfaces of the arms I 2 areformed and bent so as to merge with the inner flange l3.

The feature of having the inner top surfaces of the arms l2 extendthrough the center section II and raised slightly thereabove enablesthis section of the arms and the center section to mutually reinforceone another and thereby impart rigidity to the structure in the centersection thereof. Similarly, the two depending flanges l3 and I! of thetoroidally shaped center section co-operate with the flat disc-likesection thereof to reinforce the same. Thus, no appreciable bending ofthe grate through the center section II between the extending arms l2will occur in the normal usage of the grate.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 2, the sides 14 of the arms [2 graduallyincrease in depth to a point near the outer extremities thereof, atwhich point the depth thereof is reduced; This shaping of the sidesi lofthe arms l2forms downwardly projecting lugs, such as [8, which assist inlocating or positioning the grate in the opening in the top of the stovewhere the same is employed The sides 14 of the arms which will belocated above the "opening inthe" range where the grate is employed.

As will be noted in Fig. slightly toward the center section so that acooking utensil placed thereon will be supported, pro vided the bottomthereof is flat, at points adjacent-the outere'dge thereof.

From the above it will 'he evident 'that the'invention provides a gratewhich is very lig'ht in comparison with 'grates for similar purposesmade from castings, and which is extremely rigid and reinforcedthroughout by mutually cooperative parts to withstand all-ben'ding'stresses that it mightbe subjected to in the-normal-use ofsuch a grate. Furthermore, the :above described grate is formed froma'single'blank of sheet'metal, requiring no -assembly of component partsthereof, asby riveting or welding, and-in accordance with theteachingsoithe present invention,the strong and rigid butlig'ht gratemay be I easily I and cheaply-produced.

While the invention has been described herein with reference to but asingle "modification thereof, it will be apparent tothoseskilled'in theart that various modifications thereof -rnay'be madewithout'departing'from thespirit or essential 'attributes'thereof, "andit is desired, there fore, that only such-l'mitations-be placed thereonas are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

l2 at the extremities thereof are bent toward each othersoas to iorm arounded closed end On the part of the ,arms

said center section with said web in between the successive arms andsaid center section having an outer downwardly extending flange mergingwith the sides of said extending arms.

2. A grate of the type described formed from a single blank of sheetmetal, said grate comprising a substantially toroidally shaped centersection having substantially fiat web portions and a downwardlyprojecting circular inner flange and a plurality of arms extendingsubstantially radially outwardly therefrom, said arms beingsubstantially Ll-shaped in cross section with the inner ends thereof;extending above said web portions 'and'rrierging'with the inner flangeor said 2, the arms t2 ,slope tially radially outwardly therefrom,section including inner and outer downwardly extending flanges and a webportion therecenterjsection with said web in between the successivearms, said center section also having an outer downwardlyeextendingflange between said arms and merging with the sides thereof extendingoutwardly therefrom.

3. A grate of the type described formed from a single blank ofsheetmetaLsaidgrate; comprising a substantially toroidally shaped center-'section and a pluralityof arms extending substansai'd' center between,said arms being substantially -u-snapeu in cross section and. extendingto the inner -ilange of said center section with the top surfaces (ifsaid arms abovethe said'web portion with'said web portionin between thesuccessive-arrns, =said outer downwardly extending flange on saidcentersection between said arms merging with the sides thereof extendingoutwardly therefrom, and said arms having downwardlyprojectingposition'ing lugs adjacent the free'sends thereof.

EDWARD n 'WILIJAMS. PAUL F. g REFERENCES iorrnn L The followingreferences are of record .in vthe file of this .patent:

UNITED. STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 533,439 Converse Feb. 5, 1895849,634 Nicolaus AprqQ, "1907 928,634 Cruickshank July/20, 19091,095,075 Brauback ape- 23, 1914 1,168,852 Caverly "ca 18, .19161,392,868 Cruickshank -{Oct. 4, .1921 1,442,074 Kielberg Jan.j16,'19231,738,297 Hoffman Dec.3,'1929

